How much credit has India extended to Malawi?

According to the MEA brief of April 2026, India has extended lines of credit of US$ 395.68 million to Malawi, of which projects worth US$ 180 million have been executed, including the Salima Sugar factory.

How many Malawians have trained in India?

The brief states that about 1700 Malawian nationals have been trained in India since 2008, and 77 Malawi Defence officials have undergone ITEC and UN Peacekeeping training since 2018.

What help did India give Malawi after Cyclone Freddy?

On 26 March 2023, India donated approximately 80 tons of emergency relief items and essential medicines to Malawi.

India and Malawi: development partnership and cooperation

This article describes India's development partnership with Malawi, including lines of credit, grants, training and capacity building, and humanitarian assistance. It is based on the MEA brief of April 2026 and follows the figures and dates it gives.

Lines of credit

According to the MEA brief of April 2026, India has extended lines of credit (LoCs) to Malawi to the tune of US$ 395.68 million, of which developmental projects of US$ 180 million have been executed. The brief names the following among the important projects:

Salima Sugar factory
strategic fuel reserves in 3 cities
dal processing plants
cotton ginneries in Ngara, Ngabu and Balaka

Grants linked to the Vice President's visit of 2010

During the visit of the Vice President of India to Malawi in January 2010, a grant of US$5 million was offered to Malawi. The brief records the following donations and handovers:

Science and laboratory equipment worth US$ 1.5 million, and medical equipment worth US$ 1.5 million, including mammography and ultra-sound machines.
Agricultural implements worth US$1 million, handed over in August 2015.

In July 2015, essential medicines and drugs worth US$1 million were handed over as a grant for disaster relief operations. India extended another grant of US$ 1 million in 2016, in response to an international appeal after the President of Malawi declared a "State of Disaster".

Business Incubation Centre

In 2018, India established a Business Incubation Centre in Mponela worth US$ 1 million, to provide training in processing tomatoes, mangoes and cassava. The Centre also has facilities to train students in semi-precious stone cutting and polishing, a compost processing unit and a briquette unit.

Grants announced during the Vice President's visit of 2018

During the Vice President of India's visit to Malawi in November 2018, the following grants were announced:

A Bhabhatron cancer treatment machine, handed over to the Government of Malawi during the President of India's State Visit in October 2024 and later installed in the National Cancer Centre at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe.
Medicines worth US$2 million, handed over in July 2020.
10 ambulances, handed over in February 2020.
100,000 text books for Malawi schools, handed over in February 2020.

Other grants

In June 2022, Minister of State Shri V. Muraleedharan announced a gift of 200 laptops to Members of Parliament of Malawi, which were handed to the Parliament in November 2022.
Anti-cancer medicine worth US$ 1.4 million was handed over to the Government of Malawi in July 2023.

Artificial limb fitment

Under its "India for Humanity" initiative, the Government of India held an Artificial Limbs Fitment Camp at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe in 2018. The camp was inaugurated by the Vice President of India, and 551 Malawians were fitted with artificial limbs. A second camp, held in July-September 2024, benefited 599 Malawians.

During the President of India's State visit, India's commitment to help Malawi establish a Permanent Artificial Limb fitment Centre was announced. In February 2026, 1000 artificial limbs were handed over to the Zomba Central Hospital as a donation to the Centre.

Food and disaster assistance

In 2020, the Government of India gifted 1,000 MT of rice in response to a request for aid after crop failure.
In March 2023, Cyclone Freddy displaced people in Malawi, damaged more than 2,00,000 hectares of crops and killed or washed away more than 285,000 livestock. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi conveyed condolences to the President of Malawi, and on 26 March 2023 India donated approximately 80 tons of emergency relief items and essential medicines.
In November 2024, 1000 MT of rice was donated in response to the President of Malawi's appeal following the impact of El Nino.
In October 2025, President Peter Mutharika declared a state of disaster because of prolonged dry spells, and the Government of Malawi appealed for help for over 4 million people affected by food insecurity. India decided to donate 1000 MT of rice; the brief states that the consignment was expected to reach Malawi at the end of April.

Covid-19 assistance

India gifted 50,000 doses of India-made Covid vaccine in March 2021. In September 2021, it gifted Covid-related essential medicines and PPE material worth US$ 1.4 mn.

Training and capacity building

For 2026-27, India provided 150 ITEC (Civilian) slots to Malawi, and 38 ITEC (Defence) slots for armed forces personnel. According to the brief, about 1700 Malawian nationals from the government and private sectors have been trained in India in various fields since 2008. In addition, 77 Malawi Defence officials have undergone ITEC and UN Peacekeeping Training programmes since 2018.

Cotton Technical Assistance Programme

India started the Cotton Technical Assistance Programme (C-TAP) in 2012 for African countries including Malawi. Under the programme, 200 participants and 25 trainers from Malawi were trained through regional training and exposure visits to India. In September 2016, India set up and handed over a "Skill School for Apparel Manufacturing", with 20 Industrial Sewing Machines and cutting equipment, to the Government of Malawi.